“With some learning, creativity and spunk, you can have a positive impact on the meetings you attend, instead of just surviving. You can start making a positive difference,” he says. “In addition, you may potentially accelerate your career.”

Stillwater, MN (PRWEB) August 08, 2014

Rick Conlow, renowned leadership expert and CEO/Co-Founder of WCW Partners, recently wrote a company blog post offering his expert advice on how employees can survive and actually thrive at their next dull and “pointless” meeting. In his latest post, “How to Survive Or Thrive in Boring Meetings,” Conlow states what so many employees are thinking: “How many pointless and boring meetings do we have to go to? It’s insufferable and wastes so much time and money.”

Employees may try all kinds of things to get out of a dreaded meeting: faking an illness, sending someone in their place, lying and saying you have another meeting or skipping work on a day when meetings are scheduled. But, Conlow warns, there will always be another meeting. “What can you really do? Sit idly by and become part of the problem?” he asks. Conlow says there are productive alternatives that can be done before, during and after the meeting that can make a huge difference. Some of his suggestions include:

As a meeting participant, offer suggestions on ways to help liven things up and help the team accomplish something of value.

Before the meeting, volunteer to help with designing an agenda that is sent out ahead of time

During the meeting, consider some low-key group dynamic techniques such as: asking a question about the current meeting content, breaking the team into two smaller groups to brainstorm on a key topic, sharing a clean but funny joke at the beginning or end of the meetings you attend so at least everyone has a laugh, etc.

After the meeting, get together with the organizer and offer suggestions on improving the meeting, ask the organizer if you can take a greater role in meeting facilitation, recommend the leader send a follow-up email thanking people for their help and reminding them of key points discussed, etc.

Conlow says that with some effort, improvements to the typical “boring” meetings can greatly benefit everyone. “With some learning, creativity and spunk, you can have a positive impact on the meetings you attend, instead of just surviving. You can start making a positive difference,” he says. “In addition, you may potentially accelerate your career.”